A local classical musician has been left reeling after his collection of valuable antique violins was stolen during a break-in on 6 January.
Randpark resident and classical musician Bernard Wozny’s wife attended church on Monday morning, and when she came back she was startled to find her front door open.
“Our gate had been shifted with a crowbar and the padlock broken. They then broke the lock on my door, but entered through breaking the burglar guards,” Wozny explained.
The suspects took various electronic items including computers and TVs.
“As they entered my office and took my laptop, they must have opened my cupboard and seen my collection of violins and other instruments. They were all vintage, antique, and concert-grade violins… All part of my collection that I have been building for the last 40 years.”
Some pieces in Wozny’s collection are 150-year-old violins imported from Europe.
Wozny estimates that there were around 10 violins that were taken during the robbery.
He said that he had carefully and meticulously restored all of the instruments.
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“They only left one violin behind as it was hidden out of eyeshot.”
He has played in orchestras in both Europe and South Africa, lectured at Wits University and now teaches classical music in his spare time.
“This loss has left me completely devastated and at a loss for words. I appeal to all second-hand stores and music dealers to be on the lookout for any suspicious person trying to sell them extremely old vintage violins and to contact the Linden police immediately.”
Linden Police Station spokesperson Constable Takalani Matumba confirmed that the case is still under investigation and seconded the call to report any sighting of the stolen instruments.
